1. Field of the Invention
Since the advent of dry wall as an alternative to lathe and plaster, the construction industry has continually worked to improve the ability of the dry wall applicator to reduce the customary 4'.times.8' sheets of dry wall, of varying thicknesses, to smaller, and sometimes odd shaped, pieces to fit into nonstandard spaces.
Early applicators would typically use a straight edge and a measuring device to inscribe a line on the paper surface of the sheet of dry wall, and then cut, free hand, with a cutting device such as a saw. The resulting product often had rough edges and may or may not fill the intended space, depending on the skill and dexterity of the person doing the cutting. The roughness of the edges, and the accuracy of the cut increased the difficulty of taping the seams, and thus the aesthetics of the job.
2. Overview of the Prior Art
The importance of being able to expeditiously size and cut dry wall with great accuracy is evidenced by the significant number of patented devices intended to accomplish these goals on site.
Among the more relevant art is Crawford U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,644, which uses what appears to be a yard stick, upon which is mounted a slidable stop. At one end there is a cutting device, and at the other, an additional stop.
Spencer U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,462 is representative of another group of patents in which the cutting device is movable on a "T" square.
Other, less relevant, art is represented by Aurness U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,189, Helm U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,375, Kuhlmann U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,608, and Aikens U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,195.
While each of these patented devices represents an attempt to increase efficiency and workmanship, none are capable of the speed and accuracy of the present invention.